We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving the past and promoting the future of downtown Liberty, Missouri.
We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving the past and promoting the future of downtown Liberty, Missouri.
The aroma of meat and different spices fills the air of this restaurant. Customers begin to walk in and sit down at a small table with a green tablecloth. Admiring the paintings hung up on the wall while they look at the menu and wait to order their food. The menu is never the same, and as the customers are debating between a Reuben sandwich and a beef stroganoff, stomachs are rumbling and itching to eat the next good, hearty dish made with care, from the brand new restaurant, The Comfort Kitchen.
This restaurant opened up in the square back in January, just in time for the new year. A fully run family business, owned by a mother-daughter duo, Kris and Alyssa. Their first restaurant was labeled as a passion project and also a learning curve for them. Alyssa has always had a knack for cooking, one of her biggest hobbies since she was a kid. Before moving here, she used to be a director of a mid-level non-profit, and also worked at the University of Georgia. Helping students figure out what they wanted to do after high school, which is funny to her, looking back on it. But nonetheless, her mom and dad are supporting her endlessly with the career switch. Moving here was a big step, but also a family decision that they’re sticking by, one they don’t regret.
“The community is so supportive. I’ve never lived in a place where, even in other restaurants, they just want us to succeed, and, honestly, everybody is willing to do anything to help us out. So it’s been special,” Alyssa said.
Starting your own restaurant doesn’t just come with the risk of trying to attract customers, but also being mindful of food cost, how much they need to cook, and, more importantly, what exactly to put on the menu. Alyssa and Kris change the menu weekly, a unique twist to their new restaurant. Offering new food from meatball subs to chicken and dumplings. Experimenting with new flavors while also trying to make everything from scratch. Also, including a build-your-own sandwich station and a catering option for any party interested. These all being possible through family.
“Having a support system is really important. And making sure you’re not taking on all the burden by yourself. You have to share the work. And make sure that there’s a little village around you. And actually, the square is part of that village. Everybody’s been very supportive throughout all of this,” Alyssa explains.
And as The Comfort Kitchen begins to learn and grow as more weeks go by, they are very thankful for the support and love the community has given them in the short amount of time they’ve been here already. Kris and Alyssa also accept any artist willing to give their paintings to the restaurant. They’ll happily accept any art put on their walls to make their restaurant more vibrant and give the artists themselves more exposure.
